Our attack - what's off?

[Tokyo32]

We have many underperforming players so that means something is wrong with our system. I think we can give a little credit to the opponents because they are able to defend compact with numbers, there usually used to be space that our midfielders used to exploit but teams are very compact now. Maybe it is our fault because we push our defense high push teams back which means the opposition is deep and compact leaving us no space.

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

Tempo i would agree with...and a lot of the other points you make

But its not fine margins...the gap is becoming a chasm and that chasm is in midfield and upfront:

Marhez is not fit for purpose.
Torres Settling in
Sterling looking like he was when he first arrived.
B.Silva - regressing
Jesus -the same as always - lots of effort but not clinical and rarely creates something out of nothing.
KDB - knackered

I agree that tempo and directness really are an issue. How many times does a player receive the ball and then just passi back either 1 or 2 touch? They are doing this all the time even when there is space to turn and drive against the opposition. It seems like we are just s programmes team to pass for the sake of it

 

[cjn]

Its not rocket-science...if you replace individuals with inferior ones, you will get worse as a team. Unfortunately, we have become experts in doing this.

Mahrez - Not as good as Sterling
Sterling - Not as good as Sane
Rodri - Not as good as Fern
Jesus (Who I love) / Current Aguero - Not as good as peak Aguero
Whoever - Not as good as Merlin

We have gotten weaker in 5 of the 6 midfield/forward places and the only reason its not a full-house is because KDB is still here. What makes it worse is we have managed to do all of this over a 2 year period, which is a feat in itself.

We had IMO collectively the best midfield/forward 6 in world football and now we don't.

I take issue with saying Sane is better than Sterling but the overall point is dead on, we haven't been particularly ambitious in the transfer market and the team has gotten worse because of it. Deciding we just didn't need to bother replacing Vinny last year was an even worse offense than the examples you mentioned also.

 

[Woody135]

People talking about inverted vs wide wingers being the problem are ignoring the fact that liverpools mane and salah are inverted wingers exactly the same as sterling and mahrez are.
Theyre just better.

Our problem is fully down to our speed of play. We are too slow which allows oppositions to get back into shape so they can defend well.

Not only that, because theyre in shape they can then counter attack us because everyone is in the right starting place. Hence we keep getting done.

Rodri is slower than fern. We dont have silva anymore and gundo, bernardo arent the same level and de bruyne isnt picking up the space he used to.

With the players we have, we need a new formation or new style to break the rhythm. Oppositions can plan to play us and the game plays out exactly how they expect it

 

[Craig]

I take issue with saying Sane is better than Sterling but the overall point is dead on, we haven't been particularly ambitious in the transfer market and the team has gotten worse because of it. Deciding we just didn't need to bother replacing Vinny last year was an even worse offense than the examples you mentioned also.

As a left winger i don’t think it’s even a debate. Like yo say though the rest of the post is very clear and for all the debates we have the OP breaks it down very well. So many inferior signings and it has caught up big time.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

I take issue with saying Sane is better than Sterling but the overall point is dead on, we haven't been particularly ambitious in the transfer market and the team has gotten worse because of it. Deciding we just didn't need to bother replacing Vinny last year was an even worse offense than the examples you mentioned also.

If we talk solely about the left-wing position, I doubt many would suggest that Sterling is a better left-winger than Sane. We were certainly a much better side with Sane on the left and Sterling on the right than we are now.

Taking position out of it, on pure footballing ability it is Sane every day and to be honest, I don't think its even that close despite what assist and goals stats may show.

 

[Craig]

People talking about inverted vs wide wingers being the problem are ignoring the fact that liverpools mane and salah are inverted wingers exactly the same as sterling and mahrez are.
Theyre just better.

Our problem is fully down to our speed of play. We are too slow which allows oppositions to get back into shape so they can defend well.

Not only that, because theyre in shape they can then counter attack us because everyone is in the right starting place. Hence we keep getting done.

Rodri is slower than fern. We dont have silva anymore and gundo, bernardo arent the same level and de bruyne isnt picking up the space he used to.

With the players we have, we need a new formation or new style to break the rhythm. Oppositions can plan to play us and the game plays out exactly how they expect it

Agreed their inverted wingers are better. In the case of Salah he’s probably the best in the world in that position (Messi still great but on the decline). Mane so much more comfortable on that side at driving past defenders than Sterling is. The other huge difference however is they have brilliant attacking fullbacks to provide the width so those 2 can drift inside and they still stretch teams. We don’t have that at all so really miss the width of a natural right or left sided attacker. Beyond baffling that Sterling doesn’t return to the right for a spell no matter how averagely he performs on the left or how much we’re struggling to stretch teams.

 

[Goater=Legend]

Liverpool have Robertson and Alex-Arnold bombing on and they're constantly in the penalty box whilst ours are stuck on the wing to make the pitch big

 

[hilts]

People talking about inverted vs wide wingers being the problem are ignoring the fact that liverpools mane and salah are inverted wingers exactly the same as sterling and mahrez are.
Theyre just better.

Our problem is fully down to our speed of play. We are too slow which allows oppositions to get back into shape so they can defend well.

Not only that, because theyre in shape they can then counter attack us because everyone is in the right starting place. Hence we keep getting done.

Rodri is slower than fern. We dont have silva anymore and gundo, bernardo arent the same level and de bruyne isnt picking up the space he used to.

With the players we have, we need a new formation or new style to break the rhythm. Oppositions can plan to play us and the game plays out exactly how they expect it

As mentioned candlepool have better fullbacks

Robertson mane salah trent

Cancelo sterling mahrez Walker

So we could decide to drop the inverted wingers but we don’t have a single left winger just loads of players who prefer the right side(great planning)

We only also have one attacking left back and that’s mendy and Cancelo is the best attacking right back but plays on the left because of Mendy and his problems with fitness and form.

So if we want round pegs in round holes we have

No LW Sterling at RW(wants to play LW)
Mendy Cancelo

Not great really the only option is to play wing backs Mendy(if fit and mentally right) and Cancelo and then try and sort out the left side again in January but moving players is tough.

Hence why I think this is probably the most balanced team

Ederson
Dias rodri laporte
Cancelo Kdb Silva mendy
Foden Jesus Torres

If we could sell zinchenko and mahrez and bring in a attacking LB and LW we could play sterling RW or LW.

We could play ake and walker as full backs with wingers or attacking full backs with inverted wingers or wingbacks.

Plans a,b and c

Summer you would only need to sign a striker. A very expensive one at that.

 

[iceman]

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